Food, family and memories are as intertwined in the South as if woven on the same thread. At any function we attend, from a party to a wedding to a funeral, we are as likely to talk as much about the food that was there, as we are about why we are gathered. ~Mary Foreman

I'm your cook, not your doctor. ~PAULA DEEN

I found out what the secret to life is: friends. Best friends. ~Ninny Threadgoode

Monday, August 2, 2010

Giveaway is CLOSED! Congratulations to Phillip and Jerry our winners! Please check your email and respond to claim your prize. Thanks for participating and for being loyal readers!

Well, it's my party y'all and what could be better than to start the week off with a giveaway?! Yep. Deep South Dish dedicated recipe site is a year old this week! Can y'all believe it?

In truth, I owe a gratitude to all of you for encouraging me with your continued support, for being regular readers, and especially for your friendship, your sweet comments, compliments and emails. You have made Deep South Dish a fun project to be involved with, but wow, has time flown by.

I don't know y'all, could it possibly get any hotter? Lawdy Mercy!! Well, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," or at least get out of there faster, I say! It really has been a hot summer and just about everywhere too, even outside of The Deep South. Frankly it's been so darn hot, its hard enough to think about recipe development, never mind to actually get in the kitchen to create anything! Well, thanks to the great folks at Zatarain's you can minimize that time and still produce an inexpensive, quality meal that'll be welcomed by your family.

I recently had the opportunity to give some of Zatarain's newest products a whirl, including three new Crispy Southern Style Seasoned Seafood Fris for fish and shrimp, perfect for summer seafood dishes, their expanded boxed rice line mixes, including both a mild and a spicy jambalaya mix and a spicy red beans and rice mix, plus a Cajun brown gravy mix, a Creole red gravy mix, and three bold, new flavors of Creole seasoning in Zatarain's Big & Zesty line and gotta say, ♫love them♫ all! Now... in all fairness, like many down here, I have been a fan of Zatarain's products for many years, but if you really love the heat, this new line Zatarain's have just the right bumped up New Orleans flavor we all love. Just look at those seasonings, right out of the box.

Want an easy shrimp and sausage jambalaya like that pictured above? Break open a box of Zatarains New Orleans Style Spicy Jambalaya Mix and toss in a bit of smoked sausage or andouille and some shrimp and you have a beautiful tasty meal.

Dinner is on the table in no time and nothing could be easier.

A crispy seasoned shrimp coating with real lemon? No problem!

A crispy corn based breading for fish? Just zip open the package, dip and fry!

And, of course, those Zatarain's Creole seasonings certainly found their way into a few tasty recipes of my own! They are perfect for chicken, meats and seafood and one of my favorites has been the Big & Zesty Garlic Herb blend. A blend of Creole seasonings, mixed with garlic and other herbs is a perfect seasoning for including in so many of your favorite dishes. I mean just look at those bold seasonings in there!

I transformed a basic burger into a delicious & spicy Zesty Burger. Mmmm... so good!!

Don't worry if you're not feeling particularly creative in this heatwave because I totally get that! Zatarain's to the rescue with some great - and easy - recipes that will help you to fully utilize these products.

Like this great jambalaya dish:

Crescent City Jambalaya

This spicy, flavorful dish is perfect for a party, and it really is “big easy.” The recipe can be easily doubled to serve 16 by using 2 packages of Jambalaya Mix (spicy or mild), doubling all the other ingredients and cooking in a Dutch oven or saucepot.

Pop over to the Zatarain's website for many more great recipe ideas! Okay... down to business. I am so excited!!

CLOSED - TWO lucky readers will have the chance to try out this HUGE box filled with some fantastic Zatarain's products! Look at this y'all!!

Pop over to Zatarain's Facebook page and "LIKE" (become a Fan of) the page. Come back here and leave a comment to let me know you liked them! That'll earn you one entry for a chance to win one of these great Zatarain's packages!

Anonymous comments are open, however, you must leave at least a first name and a way for me to contact you in your comment for it to count!

(If you don't have a Facebook account, visit Zatarain's Recipes Page and come back and leave a comment to tell me one you might like to try.)

➮Giveaway closes on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 12:00 noon CST.
➮Open to residents of the United States only please.
➮You must leave an email address in your comment, or be linked to a public profile containing your email address.
➮The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours from the time of that email to reply and claim their win before an alternate winner will be selected.

Disclosure: Zatarain's provided me with a gift basket of the products described, both for me to try and to giveaway to two readers.

Clicked Like on Zatarian's...ONLY because there was no option to click LOVE! I am also a fan on your FB page. I cook mostly from scratch EXCEPT when I can use Zatarian's! You just cant expand on perfection.

Love Zatarain's gumbo mix with rice. I add my own twist to it and we dive in with both feet. It is so versatile. You can add almost any cooked meat to it that you happen to have. I liked it on Face Book,too.

I love your Deep South Dish page, I can finally make and prepare meals that keep my Deep South Fiance coming home for more! Love it! and Zatarian is a regular on our dinner table! Thanks for all the resources, info and great recipes! Ill be back for more!

Okay, I'm all in on this puppy and I don't mean hushed ones. Blackened Chicken Alfredo...oh hell yes. I love Zatarains anyway but some of the new products they are introducing will certainly be great to try.The Olde Bagg

I love Zatarain's products. My favorite easy go to meal is to brown a couple pounds of hamburger and stir it into a couple boxes Zatarain's Dirty Rice Mix. Open some frozen vegies or peas...and we have a complete meal in about 30minutes. We can eat off that a couple days too. (Thank goodness my family will eat leftovers.) I just "liked" Zatarain's on FB only because they didn't have a "Love" button. Thanks for the chance to win.

I liked "Zatarain's on Facebook and shared your post on my Facebook page, I also am following Deep South Dish and Zatarains on Twitter. I love the recipes you post. The mississippi mud bar recipe takes me back nearly 25 years to a small restaurant in Winona, Minnesota that used to serve those bars as a dessert. It was a favorite amongst some of my college friends.

Love their rice line....mm mm good...I had no idea they made so many other items....and Mary......your pictures make me sooooooo hungry....I like food that has a bit and kick to it....thanks for the info and the opportunity.....I'll be looking for it up here in the North....could go for some of that rice....right now...

Oh Mary, I'm gonna win this one ;) I love Zatarian products. I used to make 2 or 3 boxes of Zatarian dirty rice at once for the kids. They just love the stuff. I'm already a HUGE fan of Deep South Dish and a big Congrats on the birthday! Liked Zatarians and following on twitter too. Thanks for the spicy opportunity.

I have used Zatarain's products for years! I am Mississippi-born & bred but now reside in VA and cannot find a wide selection here so always stock up when I am "home." Would be so delighted to win this fabulous contest!!! arnoldtl@sprynet.com

HELLO I AM GLAD TO HAVE FOUND THIS SITE(DEEP SOUTH), I LOVED THE RECIPES YOU OFFER AS WELL AS THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF THE PREPARED FOODS.. I AM A ZATARAINS LOVER, I USE THE GUMBO BASE MONTHLY AND I ALSO USE THE JAMBALAYA MIX OFTEN, WE ARE ALSO FANS OF THE RED BEANS AND RICE. WE ARE FACEBOOKERS AND TWEETERS AND WOULD LOVE TO BE IN YOUR GIVEAWAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU. THANKS MY EMAIL IS CUTEBIGSEXIWOMAN@CHARTER.NET

What an awesome giveaway...I love Zatarian's and use a lot of their products...The very first many moons ago was the shrimp boil which is wonderful...but throughout the years they have come out with so many great products...I love the boxed rice dishes especially when I am in a hurry..the red beans and rice is our favorite and sometimes I just don't have time to cook them all day long so these are just as good to me...I can't live without the Zat's Cayenne Pepper I try to buy it in the large glass bottles...Great Product and being a born and raised southern gal Cooking is my Love and thanks to products like Zat's it always makes my dishes delish...thanks for the chance to win this giveaway...

I am a huge fan of ZATARIAN'S!!!!! The only issue I have is that what ya buy back home in the SOUTH taste way better than what you buy in different parts of the country. I am Marine Wife who wish she could find the spicy ones that we have over there, cause the Zat's taste in Cali sucks. I saw the contest on Facebook and joined up to be a fan.

well, I am a fan of Zatarain's. I love, love, love it!! I probably use it once a week around here. It's really hot here in Texas right now, but I'll still cook some red beans this week! Love your website, I have finally gotten out of my cooking rut! Hope I win!! ember.babb@yahoo.com

After reaching the age of 52. I realized I ate out all the time, and needed to change my ways. Economics, and healthy. I was raised by a true southern women. So southern style is the only way to go for me. Unfortunately my mother passed away while I was young. So I can not ask her for the help, that your site provides.

Being a man on a mission, I have learned from your site. Sometimes a taste will bring back memories that seem to have escaped me over the years. So you have brought a richness that goes so much further than the joy of a meal. It brings back the love of a southern heart.

Zatarian's, has played a big part of what was missing. Some of that good ole Creole tweaking that brings home the taste.

I like anything involving food and Zatarain's Shrimp/crab Boil is the only one to use! Especially, Creole, having grown up eating it along with just good Southern cooking. I like this site as well as Old Biloxi recipes and Zatarains!

LOVE Zatarians....heck half our side dishes are Zatarians through the week. LIKE them on FB, and you, too. As well as following on Twitter (I'm @LuluDaisy) and will follow them as soon as I'm finished typing. Fabulous giveaway. Thought of your when I used House of Autry to fry my green tomatoes last night!lauriemt@earthlink.net

I liked Zatarain's on facebook, and will continue to check out your site too. Here in Illinois if I want good southern cooking I pretty much have to make it myself, and starting with Zatarain's helps a lot. Can't wait to try the new products. Beth

What a great giveaway!! I just liked Zatarains on FB. And I just bought some zatarain goodies to send overseas to my husband in Qatar. Great fish over there now he has some great seasoning to put on them!!Diane omadiane@hotmail.com

Aw yeah, love me some Zatarain's! I don't do the FB or Twitter thangs, but I just found you and added you to my Google reader. [Why'd I have to find you at 10 p.m., though?!? Now I'm starving!]

I'm a huge fan of the Zat's jambalaya. Every time I serve it I get compliments and of course always say, 'It's an old family recipe!' and then mumble, 'The Zatarain family..' under my breath. ;) j/k I give 'em all the credit! Will be trying out the spice blends. That Paneed Chicken recipe on their site is right up my alley.

Happy Birthday to Deep South!! I don't have a Facebook account so I hopped on over to Zatarain's site as you suggested and found their recipe for Chicken Stuffed with Creole Rice Dressing http://www.zatarains.com/Recipes/Main-Dish/Chicken-Stuffed-with-Creole-Rice-Dressing.aspx. Looks like a winning combo to me as I have always loved their rice mixes and chicken.

Hi Mary I was able to get into their site....I would really like to try that seasoning mix..you made those burgers with..of course we don't have that up here either....I saw a recipe for red beans and rice with andoulle....oh my that is a kicker....good for what ails you.....have a great day....

Thanks for taking the time to comment - I love hearing from readers and I read every single comment and try to respond to them right here on the site, so stop back by!

From time to time, anonymous restrictions and/or comment moderation may be activated due to comment spam. I also reserve the right to edit, delete or otherwise exercise total editorial discretion over any comments left on this blog.

Hey Y’all! Welcome to some good ole, down home southern cooking. Pull up a chair, grab some iced tea, and 'sit a bit' as we say down south. If this is your first time visiting Deep South Dish, you can sign up for FREE updates via EMAIL or RSS feed, or you can catch up with us on Facebook and Twitter too!

You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients. ~Julia Child

The classic southern plate for supper is made up of meat and three, cornbread or rolls & a tall glass of sweet iced tea.

Oftentimes what makes a recipe southern, is as much a state of mind as it is a matter of geography - Southerners simply decide a particular food is southern, and that's that." ~Rick McDaniel, Food Historian

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